Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary

More commonly known as the McCain-Feingold Act, this act sought to end the influence in federal elections of so-called soft money, which is money raised outside the limits and prohibitions of federal campaign finance law. Among other things, this law banned soft money contributions to political parties, increased the limits on hard money contributions, and placed limits on the ability of corporations (including nonprofits) and labor unions to broadcast messages that included a federal candidate's name or image. The 2010 Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission struck down the part of the law that relates to corporations and unions.